John David Crow Named 2004 PricewaterhouseCoopers Doak Walker Legends Award Recipient
Sep 22, 2004 | Football
September 22, 2004
John David Crow, former Texas A&M star running back, has been named the recipient of the 2004 PricewaterhouseCoopers Doak Walker Legends Award. The award is presented by the SMU Athletic Forum, and the recipients are chosen by the Forum's Board of Directors.
Crow, who will receive his trophy at the Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet on Tuesday, February 15, 2005, at The Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, joins a prestigious list of recipients. Previous honorees include Army teammates and Heisman Trophy winners Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis (2003), College and Pro Football Hall of Famers and Heisman Trophy winners Earl Campbell (2002) and Tony Dorsett (2001); Rhodes Scholar, war hero and Heisman Trophy winner Pete Dawkins (2000); two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin (1999); and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers (1998).
Crow played under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant at A&M and in 1957 became the only Aggie to win the Heisman Trophy as well as the only Heisman winner to play for Coach Bryant. Crow played 11 years in the NFL with the Chicago Cardinals, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection. After retiring as a player, Crow coached under Bryant at Alabama and served as head coach and athletic director at Northeast Louisiana. In addition, he was an assistant coach with the Cleveland Browns and San Diego Chargers. Crow went on to serve as Texas A&M Athletic Director and, most recently, as Director of Athletic Development. He is credited with moving A&M to the forefront of collegiate athletics, especially in the area of gender equity.
"If I had a football idol growing up, it was Doak Walker," said John David Crow. "It is an absolute honor to receive this award."
The PricewaterhouseCoopers Doak Walker Legends Award was created by the SMU Athletic Forum to honor former running backs who excelled at the collegiate level and also distinguished themselves as leaders in their communities.
"John David Crow is one of the true legends in the storied history of football in Texas," said Maribess Miller, Dallas office managing partner for PricewaterhouseCoopers. "We are proud to honor one of the greatest backs in college football history."
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is in its sixth year as the presenting sponsor of the Doak Walker Legends Award. PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwcglobal.com) provides industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services for public and private clients. More than 120,000 people in 139 countries connect their thinking, experience and solutions to build public trust and enhance value for clients and their stakeholders.
Doak Walker epitomized leadership, sportsmanship, and academic and athletic achievement during his storied career at half back for SMU in the late 1940s. Gracing the covers of numerous national magazines, "the Doaker" was a national phenomenon. The versatile Walker, who also punted, returned kicks and kicked extra points, was a three-time All-American who won the Heisman Trophy as a junior in 1948. Walker was a first round draft pick of the Detroit Lions, and during his six years with the Lions, he led the team to NFL championships in 1952 and 1953 and was chosen All-Pro four times. Walker was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Honoring the legends of sports for 16 years, the SMU Athletic Forum celebrates outstanding success in athletics. Based in Dallas, the series features major figures from a variety of sports. The SMU Athletic Forum includes four luncheons and the prestigious Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet.
